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Perinatal Palliative Care

The multidisciplinary Perinatal Palliative Care Team at Phoenix Children’s is here to provide expectant parents and families with guidance, support and comfort during times of uncertainty, concern and grief.

When families learn that their baby is faced with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness — whether before or shortly after birth — Phoenix Children’s is by their side every step and decision along the way. With more than 10 years of palliative care experience, we understand how distressing these situations are for parents and family members. Our multidisciplinary team is here to offer compassionate perinatal palliative care services for families during these difficult times.

Coordinated Care for Families

Our experienced care team works closely with expectant parents on individualized, coordinated care strategies that enable families to make the most informed decisions that honor family beliefs and values and/or promote quality of life for their newborn baby. Offering detailed information about the fetal condition and specialized medical guidance as well as ongoing counseling and support, our team is here to help families navigate through their complex perinatal journey. Based on each family’s wishes, our services may include the following:

Private family consultations on prenatal condition

Education, medical diagnosis and prognosis for baby’s illness

Birth planning that honors family values

Clinical planning for neonatal therapies and treatment

Exploration of medical decision-making

Palliative and comfort care goal setting

Prenatal, birth and postnatal communication

Family and bereavement counseling

Emotional and spiritual support

Multidisciplinary Care Team

At Phoenix Children’s, we have always taken a family-centered approach to care. When families come face-to-face with the unexpected, our skilled team of specialists come together to support patients and families alike. Our Perinatal Palliative Care team is comprised of physicians and a nurse practitioner specialized in fetal and neonatal care, a counselor and social worker, and a licensed psychologist — working closely together to support families through pregnancy, birth and beyond. When appropriate, our team also connects families with resources in the community that offer at-home or hospice care.

Experienced in Congenital Medical Conditions

Phoenix Children’s offers nationally ranked, world-class care for a wide range of congenital medical conditions. Our Perinatal Palliative Care team is extremely proficient in offering guidance and support for a variety of common and rare congenital conditions, including chromosomal abnormalities, heart defects, kidney problems, neurological issues and many more. For more information, visit our Conditions We Treat page for an in-depth view of our specialized medical expertise.

Experts in Palliative Care

Phoenix Children’s has offered patients with serious illnesses and their families with comprehensive palliative care support and services for more than a decade. With the continued growth of the Fetal Care Center at Phoenix Children’s, we quickly recognized the need for palliative care services specifically for families managing prenatal diagnoses. Our expert team is here to lend a caring hand when families need us most.

Related Services

Depending on a baby’s diagnosis, Phoenix Children’s may engage the expertise of any combination of the following medical specialists in order to assist the Perinatal Palliative Care team in developing a customized, coordinated care strategy that align with the family’s needs.